Buildings of the foregoing prior art patents are those having an upstanding vertical wall terminating in a roof along an upper edge thereof to enclose usuable space within the building. The walls include a lower, free standing edge spaced from a fixed foundation therewithin. Typically, the fixed foundation is defined by an outwardly facing wall spaced from the lower, free standing edge, where means are provided within the space to facilitate rotative movement between the fixed foundation and vertical wall.
While such buildings have gained success commercially, efforts to improve same have been directed primarily to the roller mechanism where binding was a concern. With that problem solved by the new roller assembly taught in (Atty Docket No. 175), attention has now shifted to the construction of the roof where leaks therein can present problems for the materials or products stored within the building. Experience has revealed other problems with modular type roof structures. For example, such roofs are often prone to rust or other premature deterioration or decay. Further, said roofs may have insufficient reinforcement to support the cumbersome weight of snow, ice or water. Additionally, as a result of the generally opaque character of the material used mi the manufacture of such roofs, interior lights must be used to view the contents of the particular structure. Finally, because the roofs are often of a single structure, damage to one part of the roof would typically require replacement of the entire roof, or even the entire building.
While the prior art patents noted above, to the inventor hereof, are directed primarily to the rotating mechanism, the commercial versions incorporating the teachings of the patents utilized a roofing structure consisting of a roof panel having an upturned edge angled at an acute angle toward the panel, and a C-configured channel overriding and slidably engaging a pair of such panel edges positioned side-by-side. One of the problems experienced occurred with ice and snow accumulation, and water leakage accompanying a thaw.
Other prior art roof structures are illustrated by the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,186, relates to a tree supported structure. The structure incorporates a first number member closely about the tree, and a larger lower annular member, where a number of cables extend therebetween to support a waterproof fabric for the roof,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,172, is directed to a dome-shaped shelter formed of a plurality of three sectioned, foldable panels. The panels are characterized by a U-shaped flange along one common edge of the panels, with the opposite common edge featuring a vertically oriented flange, where with adjacent panels the U-shaped flange slidably receives the vertically oriented flange. To further secure the panels together, a series of spring clips are used;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,540, is directed to a conical heat-retention shell formed of a series of trapezoidal panels joined together, around the bottom edge, by aluminum straps; and
U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,508, relates to a roofjoint for a pair of opposed sheet metal panels, where adjacent edges are U-shaped. To secure the respective edges together, the joint uses a tubular cap formed to present a T-shaped space therewithin.
None of the roof structures described in the above prior art, nor the commercial version employed by the inventor's rotatable buildings noted earlier, present a durable, yet waterproof modular roof as found in the present mention. The manner by which the improved modular roof of this invention achieves the desirable objectives will become more apparent in the specification which follows, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.